Soil priming effect and its responses to nutrient addition along a tropical forest elevation gradient

Priming plays important roles in terrestrial carbon cycling, but the patterns and drivers of priming and its responses to nutrient addition in tropical forests remain unclear. By collecting soils along a tropical forest elevation gradient, we conducted an incubation experiment with C-13-labeled glucose and nutrient (N and/or P) additions. Results showed that priming effects increased soil organic matter decomposition by 44 +/- 12% across elevations, and priming intensity decreased significantly with elevation. Among soil and microbial properties, soil organic carbon (SOC) content and pH were two key factors negatively and positively regulating priming, respectively. Across elevations, the additions of N, P, or both of them (NP) did not significantly change priming. However, the variations in the effects of nutrient (N and/or P) addition on priming significantly correlated with initial soil nutrient (N or P) availability. The intensity for the effects of N addition on priming decreased significantly with initial soil N availability, and that for the effects of P and NP addition on priming decreased with initial soil P availability. Based on these relationships, we proposed a conceptual framework linking stoichiometric decomposition and nutrient mining hypotheses, in which the former dominates in low-nutrient availability soils and the latter dominates in high-nutrient availability soils. This conceptual framework can help to explain the contrasting effects of nutrient addition on priming. Collectively, our findings highlight the roles of SOC content and soil pH in regulating priming intensity, and the role of initial soil nutrient availability in regulating the effects of nutrient addition on priming.

Automated summary

The study found that priming effects can increase soil organic matter decomposition by around 44% and that priming intensity decreases significantly with elevation. Addition of N, P, or NP did not significantly change priming across elevations, but the effects of nutrient addition on priming were significantly related to initial soil nutrient availability. The conceptual framework proposed in the study suggests that stoichiometric decomposition dominates in low-nutrient availability soils while nutrient mining dominates in high-nutrient availability soils.